The Memories
by TwinsWolf
Summary: A month has passed since the turn of the decade and things can't seem to improve between the old couple. Hyde is single again and Jackie seems happy next to Fez, but what would happen if Jackie lost her memory? She's the same bossy annoying girl but lacks the heartbreak, and Hyde doesn't seem to mind it. Does that mean he's going to try to get her back?


**The Memories**

Chapter 1. _The Beginning. _

As soon as he got home from Grooves, Steven opened the fridge to grab a cold beer before sitting down in the kitchen chair. It had been such a long day which included keeping Leo from giving out albums in exchange for M&Ms and driving through what looked like the beginning of an awful snowstorm. A month had nearly passed since the turn of the decade and the climate in Wisconsin didn't look any better, he would now and then steal Eric's sock to keep his feet from turning into popsicles and his stash safe. Since New Year's Eve a lot had changed in a sense, with the Foreman's decision of staying in Point Place Hyde hadn't been in need of moving out, in fact, Kitty had actually insisted he stayed to "relive the precious times where she would tend to her two boys". Red didn't argue against him staying either, though he had a few things to say about Eric coming home. As soon as Eric had found out his room was gone a nerdy hell broke loose in the house, the wraith of the lost G.I. Joe's kept the vein on Red's forehead steadily pumping throughout the day, it was incredible to see Eric still breathing and in a single piece.

Eric had been crashing in Laurie's room, against his will and only after properly sterilizing, he wasn't going to college until the next semester which meant staying under those pink covers for a while. However, after Africa, he was just grateful for tasting his mom's cooking and for his leisure time wasted by hanging out in the basement, even if his girlfriend was gone. As promised, Donna had left for college a few days after New Year's Eve. This time she didn't stay for Eric, just as he hadn't stayed for her in the pursue of his scholarship, her life was in course once again. It hurt her to leave Point Place, it hurt her that her father had already moved to Florida, but not as much as it hurt her the realization of her dreams nearly slipping away from her. Some weekends Donna would come over and visit, others Eric would drive up to Madison, but mostly they talked on the phone whenever Donna wasn't buried in homework. They were doing ok.

-You look like crap -Eric said as he entered the kitchen from the living room door.

-Still, look better than you, skinny boy -Hyde's comment ended with a smile before taking a sip of his beer. Eric sat across from him, a smirk on his lips as he shrugged.

-Tough day at Grooves? -Eric asked before grabbing and biting the side of an apple that stood at the center of the table- Is selling records to horny teenagers harder after the Holidays?

-Nah man, just stupid Fez trying to buy some ABBA records with green M&M's.

-Was he getting them for Jackie? -Once the question was made silent fell to the room. Ever since Jackie and the foreign boy had started dating things had gotten tense around the remaining group members, especially the curly-haired boy who decided to gulp down the rest of his beer.

-An irritating record for a bitchy girl.

Eric bit the apple, since his return from Africa plus the fact that Donna was gone, he had gotten closer to the dark-haired girl. He wouldn't go as far as to call her a best friend, but he cared for the girl who kept him laughing in the tapes his mom had sent him to Africa, the girl who wrote to him with the latest gossip and secrets from Point Place, though he hardly cared that Pam Macy had gained 22 pounds, the girl who cared when she believed Donna was cheating on him even though he had already broken up with her. When Eric first heard what had happened between Hyde and Jackie he had an impulse to go back home and help find Hyde and beat up Kelso, days later he felt the need to come back to punch his best friend for marrying a stripper and leaving the dark-haired girl crying and stuffing her face on everything she could find, lastly he thought about coming home and yell at Jackie when she started having feelings for Fez. He had tons of unresolved feelings about the situation, but one thing was clear for him: Jackie Burkhart and Steven Hyde belonged together.

-She was just here, you know -Eric started to talk as he stared at the bitten apple-, she came to help Red with the Toyota.

-If her life depended on holding a flashlight, we would all be damned.

Since New Year's Eve Jackie's visits to Foreman's residence had decreased considerably. After being fired by Christine St. George and few weeks after working as a sweep girl at the salon with Fez, Jackie had been invited back to work as Christine's assistance, apparently, nobody else was up to the task. Though it felt like being dragged to hell, the former cheerleader accepted and returned with a full Tupperware of Kitty's brownies, things were tougher than she remembered but still managed to love waking up and going to work every day. Work and boyfriend kept the Burkhart girl busy, she no longer hanged around the basement as much as Fez did, and when she did visit the Forman's she usually hanged around with Kitty, Red and, sometimes, Eric. Though the family considered her an annoying little brat, she was welcomed, but with the turn of the decade and all the changes happening in their lives, that annoying little brat was becoming closer to the family in a way never expected before.

-When was the last time you saw her?

-Why? -Hyde asked raising an eyebrow, he knew Eric wanted him back with Jackie, but he didn't know why.

-Ever since I came back you are hardly around each other; she doesn't even go to Grooves anymore nor hangs around the basement.

-So, what's the problem? -He didn't care anymore, hadn't cared for a while in a fact.

Ever since the whole marring Sam situation he had concluded he despised the former cheerleader. He couldn't help it, things between them had gone from bad to toxic and Jackie dating Fez hadn't solved anything at all. It is not that he was upset, Fez was one of his closest friends and a heck of a good guy, Fez deserved to be happy and him having a girlfriend didn't mind Hyde at all…the fact that the girlfriend was Jackie did. He deserved better than Jackie, right? Yes, that was it. Or at least that is what he kept telling himself. The Burkhart girl was just toying with his friend, she didn't love him as she claimed and would eventually hurt the candy lover in a matter of time.

-Look man, Jackie might be a bratty midget, but you have been tormenting her since Chicago.

Hyde's eyes shook, Eric hadn't mentioned anything from the past year since his return. It is not like he wanted to be questioned by his skinny friend, nor that he cared to explain why he had done what he had done, but…Eric questioning him because of Jackie?

-Forman, I don't think you know what you are talking about.

-Don't give me that crap man. I know you more than anyone, ok? -Eric's face was serious as he threw the skeleton of his apple away-. You've been giving Jackie so much shit only because you feel crappy about your own life.

-Wow, wow, wow, man-, Hyde placed his elbows over the table while he stared incredulously at his friend's words-. I just lower myself to meet Jackie at her level.

-So, this is not your way to bottle up your feelings? -A smirk came to his nerdy lips-, I mean, after all, marring venereal disease was just a way to keep Jackie away.

Hyde smiled and lightly bit his lips, was Eric really going to treat Sam like trash? Kelso wanted to bone her, Fez practically treated her like a Goddess, Randy and Leo were cool about her, and even Donna didn't have a single problem with her. But Foreman did? And all because of Jackie?

-Man, I don't know what kind of stuff you smoked back in Africa that made you a cult member of Jackie's church of doom.

-The same stuff you found in Vegas that made you marry a stripper.

-Exotic dancer-, Hyde corrected while pointing a finger to the ceiling-, turned out to be the best decision of my life.

-I know for a fact you don't think that.

His eyebrow curved, why in hell would Foreman know what he thought of his ex-wife? He wasn't getting pissed or anything of the sort, he found amusing the fact that Eric seemed so interested in psychoanalyzing his former marriage. So what? Maybe Sam hadn't been the smartest decision of his life, but it hadn't been a waste of time. He had fun; Sam was fun. He had lots of sex; Sam was amazing. He had…nothing else. Fun and sex, Sam, they were equivalent and, hence, a good investment, right?

-I might have never seen you with Sam, but I swear for the love of Leia that you weren't happy with her.

Why would he know that? How could he assure that? Eric had spent the last year in Africa, he could not come home and just make what Hyde thought were just random guesses and dumb accusations.

-So, you think I was happy with Jackie? May I remind you that the little wench tried to manipulate me into marrying her. And when it didn't work, she nailed Kelso!

-You were going to propose!

-I didn't love her.

He did. At first, he might have been fooling around with Jackie just because it was hot, forbidden, but he eventually cared for her. She was annoying, bitchy, complained a lot and a complete daddy's brat, but, at the time, she had been his. Her smile, her touch, her kisses, everything about her seemed to drive him out of his mind. He didn't hate the way she would sit in his lap, how she would just stare at him and smile, the way her body fit in his arms when they slept next to each other. But everything had ended between them.

-You did, and I bet that's why you stayed married to Sam.

-Yes, because I was so in love with Jackie, I decided it was best for me to sleep with an exotic dancer-, the irony of his words made Eric frown, which only made the curl-haired boy chuckle.

-Because-, Eric started before taking a deep breath-, you realized you wanted to be with Jackie but weren't good for her.

-Wow, that is the girliest crap that you have ever said to me-, Eric glared at him-, and that includes the time you told me that organizing records ruined your cuticle care.

-Hey-, his serious face remained as he closed his eyes and raised his hands in front of his face-, these bad boys must remain clean and tended to.

Hyde let out a laugh before standing up from the chair, he planned on getting to the basement and find his stash before crashing in his room. He was not going to spend any more time talking about Jackie with Eric, his life involving the former cheerleader had ended and there was no reason as to why resuscitate it. He was already in front of the fridge when the phone rang, and Kitty Forman came into the kitchen.

-Oh, Steven, you're back already-, she exclaimed as she grasps the yellow phone in her hands-, we're having quiche for dinner-. As her famous laugh filled the room, Kitty Foreman held the phone to her ear-. Fez! Oh sweetie, how are you? … What? …Well, no. No Fez, she left an hour ago.

Eric stood up from his chair and Hyde stood at the edge of the door, was something wrong? Kitty's tone of voice had a worried ring to it. Her back was curved, and her hand held the phone ever more tightly.

-Well, I'll ask Red to go out and look for her. I'll try calling her office and check-up with anyone with who she might be. If I find out anything, I'll be sure to give you a call, ok.

Kitty hung the phone and started playing around with her fingers before turning around to face the two boys who now looked at her with curious looks on their faces. Multiple times had the phone rung to announce bad news, Kitty Foreman was usually the one who received them all and it didn't seem any different this time around. Her finger intertwining, she managed to put on a smile before turning to the boys.

-Wrong number-, she tried to quickly exit the kitchen but was stopped by Eric's grasp.

-Mom, what happened?

-Well…-, Kitty hesitated to talk. She knew how Eric would react, but feared Hyde's possible happiness towards the news-. It appears Jackie hasn't returned home.

A small moment of silence came into the room. Jackie and Fez's apartment wasn't that long of a drive. A couple of minutes without traffic, which there never was, and one could find the lovebird's door without any problem. Since Jackie's return to the office, her foreign boyfriend had lent her his car so that she wouldn't have to walk anywhere and "ruin her beauty with disgusting sweat and effort", so…why hadn't she arrived home?

-But she left like half an hour ago and this is Point Place, it's not like it takes her so long to get home-, Eric argued-, I mean, she takes five steps and she's already leaving this place. Maybe more because she's a midget.

-She probably just stopped for some gas or the mall-, Hyde intervened-, it's not a big deal.

Hyde tried brushing off the Foreman's worries, he knew the former cheerleader well enough to know that she was bound to stop at any store with or without a sale. And with the holidays ending a month prior, stores were bound to clean their inventories, especially clothing departments. Perhaps the little princess stopped on her way home for some pair of boots or a skirt. Nothing else could have happened.

-All the stores are closed-, Kitty's tone of voice was soft after considering Steven's scenario-, there was an alert on a snowstorm this afternoon, so everybody went home to find refuge. We told Jackie she could stay when it started to snow, but she insisted on going home.

All three pairs of eyes turned to the gliding door; snow filled their view as strong currents of wind crashed in the glass. It was bad. Was Jackie driving home with that terrible weather condition? The roads were bound to be dangerous and though Jackie wasn't that bad of a driver, thanks to Red at least, she was driving Fez's AMC Gremlin which wasn't the most reliable vehicle in a stormy road. Maybe she had to stop on her way home fearing she could have an accident on an icy road. Maybe she was waiting for the winds to slow down, so she wouldn't lose control of the wheel…maybe.

-I'll go look for her, Jackie's probably just driving like an old lady-, Eric grabbed the keys to the Vista Cruiser on the top left drawer. He worried; he couldn't picture Jackie alone on the road knowing what to do in case of an accident, in his mind Jackie was only complaining about the cold she had and how it was all the stupid AMC Gremlin's fault.

-You can't go on your own-, worried for her recently arrived baby boy she opened the kitchen door before yelling into the living room-. Red, you and Eric need to go out and look for Jackie!

Kitty thanked the fact that Eric was willing to go out and look for the younger of her basement kids but didn't enjoy the idea of him exposing himself to the dangerous road. Her husband, however, could. Red Foreman, the manliest man she knew, had no trouble in the snowy roads and was prepared for any emergency. If Red was with Eric the biggest threat for her little boy would be a foot in his ass, but no more. They would both get home safely, one with a higher blood pressure perhaps, but safely and, hopefully, with Jackie. It didn't take long before the man of the house came into the kitchen with his usual frown and hands on his hips, he didn't enjoy being interrupted from his TV time.

-Kitty-, he started as he took a deep breath-, are you out of your mind?

Red wasn't aware of the situation, nor did he want to. Outside was cold, he had no beer nor cable TV, inside he did. However, one look in Kitty's eyes was all it took for Red to comprehend something was off. He had invited the Burkhart girl to hold a flashlight for him as he fixed the Toyota, she stayed for a snack and to complain about her day annoying Red one or two times, though she managed a few smiles from him with her superficial comments on his son's stupidity and physique. Sure, the Burkhart girl was annoying at extreme levels, but she remained his favorite out all the gang of dumbasses playing in his basement; he cared and worried about the girl just as he did for Laurie.

-Red, that little girl hasn't gotten home; it is storming outside and something bad could have happened to her-.

-If humanity were so lucky-. Hyde froze with his hands inside his pockets as he felt the glare of every Foreman in the room.

-Steven Hyde, I don't care about what your feelings are towards Jackie Burkhart, but you will not, I repeat, you will not wish her ill-. Kitty Forman's voice was stern, she loved every single kid that hag grown up in the basement of her house as her own. She would not stand still as her adopted son joked around about Jackie's whereabouts. Not this time, at least.

-Jackie has a few bags of kitty litter in the backseat of jungle boy's car-, Red reached for the keys of the Vista Cruiser from Eric's hands before Hyde could reply to Kitty's remark-. Jackie's a smart girl who can take care of herself out in the snow.

-But what if she's hurt? -Kitty's face showed concerned, what if she was right? Out of her six basement children only four remained in Point Place, she certainly didn't wish that number to go down.

-She won't be-, Red said as soothingly as he could while he squeezed his wife's shoulder for support-. Let's go, dumbass.

Red lead the way, grabbing his coat before sliding the glass door and stepping out of the house. As he did a gush of wind entered the house and sent chills down the spine of everyone who stayed behind. It was freezing outside. Eric didn't even hesitate to grab his coat and follow Red, the devil herself appeared to be in danger and his worry only increased after feeling his cheekbones burn from the cold. Father and son got in the Vista Cruiser; Red was the appointed driver while Eric remained in the lookout for any midget in distress.

As they left the driveway Kitty had gotten herself next to the phone dialing Jackie's office number, she preached Jackie had stopped there on her way home and was, hopefully, now trapped inside. However, no one answered. She dialed again, maybe they didn't reach the phone on time. When her second try failed, she began to breathe rapidly, with the Pinciotti gone Jackie couldn't be with Bob or Donna. Kelso being in Chicago didn't seem like an option either, so Kitty ran out of option on who to call.

-Mrs. Foreman-, Hyde called as he reached for his adoptive mother's arms attempting to calm her down-, I'm sure you're just overreacting.

It didn't work. Kitty Foreman glared at him, and it stung. Was it a disappointing look? Did she think less of him for not worrying over Jackie not being with Fez already? Sure, Hyde found weird that the bossy little girl hadn't gotten home already but was sure that there was a reasonable explanation for it. Perhaps Jackie had decided to stop at Fatso to get dinner for her and Fez, maybe she found an open sale store with dresses she liked, but never would he imagine that the unicorn princess would be in any sort of danger.

-If it helps you feel better, I can look for her as well-, Hyde sighed-, Red and Foreman are probably going to look through the main street, I can look through the alternative road in case Jackie though about going the long way home.

Kitty Foreman's smile was slight but a grateful one. For a moment she thought Steven Hyde had actually cared about the whereabouts of the Burkhart girl leaving a warm feeling in her stomach. She had always loved the way they looked together, how Jackie would stop being narcissistic to show a vulnerable side of her just as she loved how Steven would care for her in his unique way. She had actually felt jealous of the couple a few times, especially the car show when Steven didn't abandon "his chick" like Red had abandoned her. When the pair ended it had taken every single strength in her not to meddle, even when a stripper showed up at her door, lived under her roof and ate her meals. It's not that she hated Sam, they actually got along just fine after a few days, but to her perspective, nobody would be a perfect match to Steven like Jackie had been.

-That would mean a lot-, was all that Kitty had to say before Hyde took the keys to his El Camino and stepped out of the house just like Red and Eric had done moments before.

* * *

At a red light, Hyde rubbed his eyes and grunted in frustration. It was freezing outside, the streets were empty and filled with snow, and Jackie hadn't crossed his path. He thought it was a waste of time. He cursed under his breath as the green light lit the way, he slowly stepped on the gas and continued to roam the streets looking for any sign of his ex-girlfriend's whereabouts.

-Man this is stupid-, he took his left hand and placed it on his forehead before running his had through his hair, frustrated he put his hand back on the wheel.

There was no way Jackie was out on the street, she was probably already home with Fez and there he was freezing his ass off. She was fine and warm while he was hungry and cold, bossy bitch.

-Oh Fezzie, I bought you cotton candy for dinner, sorry I'm late-, imitating Jackie's annoying voice he stepped on the gas. Why was he so upset?

He pictured Red and Foreman in the Kitchen warming up to Kitty's famous hot chocolate while Ms. Foreman would tell the story of how Jackie arrived safely to the arms of her current boyfriend. Red would curse at Fez for making him go out while his show was on and Eric would say something stupid related to Star Wars but be relieved that Jackie was home. Then he would show up, frustrated and hungry, having to face Eric and his dumb arguments about him caring for Jackie. Ms. Foreman would join and suddenly his relationship with Jackie would be dinner's topic up for discussion, it would be hell.

He said to himself that he was only out in the streets looking for Jackie because Ms. Foreman required him to. Hyde was her adopted son, he cared for her sometimes even more than her own son did, hence, he couldn't let her worry. Jackie didn't matter, Ms. Foreman's feelings did…right? Yeah, he no longer cared for the dark-haired girl as he did in the past. No matter where Jackie could be, Hyde wouldn't care anymore. He wasn't looking for her because he worried, only because Ms. Foreman did. He felt nothing, he was zen.

So then, why did his heart nearly stop when he saw Fez's AMC Gremlin overturned on the side of the street?

Hyde hit the breaks as he pulled over, he got off the car as fast as he could and ran. Snow had already accumulated at the top of the car, how long had it been like that? As soon as he was next to the driver's window, he cleaned the snow and fog that had accumulated so he could look inside. His stomach turned: Jackie was inside and injured. He tried to force the door open, but it didn't work, so Hyde decided to break the window with his arm until it went numb. He laid on his back as he began kicking the window until it shattered into pieces, with the window gone he was able to unlock the door making it easier as he tried to get the brunette out of there. Jackie's body felt cold, blood spilled from her temple and her lips were practically blue.

-Jackie! Jackie wake up! -Hyde shouted, again and again, waiting for some kind of response, his hand carefully searched for some indication of her pulse. As he felt his surroundings light up by a pair of headlights, his complexion paled when he failed to find any pulse.

* * *

Hello, how are you? This is my first attempt to a That 70's Show fanfic and it's totally JackieXHyde. I really hope you like it, thanks for giving it a try and I'm sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes.


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